Delta makes earning elite status more expensive & adds new choice benefits

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Update: On 13 September 2023, Delta announced that it is making wholesale changes to how elite status is earned in the SkyMiles program (click here to read more).

In the miles & points world, it’s often a bad sign when you read of a loyalty program announcing that it is “enhancing” benefits, as no one running any of the major loyalty programs appears to know what that word means.

True to form, a recent press release from Delta told us that it was enhancing the benefits for SkyMiles Medallion members and it only took a quick glance at the details in the press release to see that a major negative change is on the way.

Yes, a positive move is coming too but overall, this is a prime example of a program giving with one hand only to take away with the other.

Delta increases the minimum spend thresholds for Medallion status

There’s no way to sugarcoat this. As of next year, some Delta flyers will have to hit significantly higher minimum spend thresholds if they’d like to enjoy the benefits of Medallion status.

More specifically, this is what the changes will look like:

That’s a 33% increase in the minimum spend requirement for Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Medallion status, although holders of select Amex Delta SkyMiles co-branded credit cards will continue to be able to earn themselves a Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) waiver by hitting separate spending targets on their cards.

Delta says that this change is a necessary step “toward both preserving and improving the customer experience for our most loyal and engaged Members” which tells you all you need to know about how Delta measures loyalty – it’s all about the money – but we knew that already!

For completeness, this is what all the current SkyMiles Medallion targets look like:

The number of Medallion Qualifying Miles (MQM) and Medallion Qualifying Segments (MQS) will not be increasing in 2023 (for the 2024 elite status year).

Credit card MQD waivers

For 2023 elite status (this no longer applies from 1 January 2024), four credit cards offer Delta MQD waivers to cardholders who spend $25,000 in a calendar year on their card. These cards are:

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Note: Only the primary cardholder can earn a waiver. Authorized users cannot earn an MQD waiver through spending on their card.

New Premium Choice Benefits

Delta SkyMiles Platinum and Diamond elite members who meet their respective status thresholds in 2023 (and therefore have that status in 2024) are going to be able to choose from “an expanded slate of premium Choice Benefits” starting on 1 February 2023.

As well as being able to choose from Choice Benefits like the ability to gift Medallion Status to another flyer and the use of Global and Regional Upgrade Certificates, Delta will be adding the following to its Premium Choice Benefits:

Platinum Medallion Members with the…

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… can choose a $200 statement credit for their card.*

Diamond Medallion Members with the…

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• card_name
• card_name
• card_name

… can choose a $500 statement credit for their card.*

Diamond Medallion Members’ new options (terms apply)

• Gift two Gold Medallion Gift Statuses per selection.
• A $500 Delta Vacations Experience (flight+hotel) credit.
• A $1,000 MQD boost for the next Medallion year
• A Delta Travel Credit Voucher for $250
• A $250 sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) contribution

Platinum Medallion Members’ new options (terms apply)

• Gift two Silver Medallion Gift Statuses per selection.
• A $400 Delta Vacations Experience (flight+hotel) credit.
• A $500 MQD boost for the next Medallion year
• A Delta Travel Credit Voucher for $250
• A $250 sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) contribution

*Terms and conditions apply

Bottom line

Starting next year, Delta flyers will have to credit 33% more Medallion Qualifying Dollars to their SkyMiles accounts if they want to retain or earn elite status for 2024. Fortunately, it’s still possible to get an MQD waiver by putting $25,000 of eligible spending onto one of the Delta Amex Platinum or Reserve cards, and to further ease the pain of this change, Delta is improving the Choice Benefits that it offers to Platinum and Diamond elites.